Mail-bag



(No Model.) Y

N. W.-G1VBN& R.v A. DUNNING.

MAIL BAG.

' Patented Jan. 6, 1885.

UNITED STATES NATHAN IV. GIVEN AND ROBERT A.

PATENT OFFICE.

DUNNING, OF BRUNSVICK, MAINE.

MAIL-BAG.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 310,411,'dated January 6, 1885.

` Application filed October 2S, 1884. (Nomodel.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that we, N .iTHAN W. GIvEN and ROBERT A. DUNNING, citizens of the United States, residing at Brunswick, in the county of Cumberland and State of Maine, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Months for Mail-Bags, Ste., of which the following is a speciiication, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

Our invention relates to mail-bags, satchels, Svc., and more especially to the mouths for such articles; and it consists in the construction and novel arrangement of parts, as will be hereinafter fully described, andparticularl y pointed out in the claims. j

In the drawings, Figure lis a View in perspective of the mouth of a mailbag embodying our improvements, the mouth of the mail-bag being shown open. Fig. 2 is a View in perspective of the mouth of the bag shown closed, and Fig. 3 is a sectional detail View of one of the end hinges shown open. c

Referring by letter to the accompanying drawings, A designates the body of the mail pouch or bag, which is preferably of leather, but which may be made of other suitable material.

The frame which forms the support for the material of which the bag or pouch is composed consists of four metal bars, B G D E, connected by hinges F E F2 F3. At the joint G, where the metal bars B and C connect, we provide a spring, H, secured in place by bolts H', which spring serves to force the mouth of the bag open automatically when the key is turned to unlock the lock H2. The bars B and D are provided with stoplugs I and J, which come at opposite sides of the middle joints when the mouth of the bag is closed, and take the strain off said joints when the pouch is being handled when closed.

The bar O is provided with a lug, L, by which the pouch is to bc hung up when desired.

The leather is secured to the bars by rivets, making a strong and durable pouch. The joints operate as compensatingjoints.

In order to define the nature, advantages,

and scope ofthe present invention, we would t have it understood that prior to our invention springs have been placed on the inside o1 the metallic bars of a mouthpiece for mailbags, said springs being formed in two sections, and having their ends coming together and interlocked at the joints. In this construction the spring by constant using soon becomes worthless and loses its inherent spring force by reason of the continual press ing of the two springs together. Furthermore, by the placing of the springs on the inside of the bars they interfere with the lling and emptying of the bag, and are otherwise in the way; but by our invention we overcome these disadvantages and make the invention practicable in every respect, the

Y spring being drawn around the outside of the joints by the closing action ot' the mouthpiece, so that instead of losing its spring force the latter will be increased in volume, and thus cause the spring to act more surely upon the joints. Moreover, the spring will not interfere with the contents of the bag, as it is arranged on the outside of the mouthpiece.

Having thus fully described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is-

l. -As an improvement in the mouth-pieces for mail bags and pouches, the combination, with the bag or pouch, of the metal bars con` nected by compensatingjoints, and a spring secured around the outside of one or more of the joints, so that the closing of the mouthpiece draws the two ends of the spring close around the joints, as shown and described.

2. A mouth-piece for mail-bags, comprising the bars connected together by hinges or j oints, and a spring secured around the outside ot' one or more of the joints, the ends ot' the spring being attached to the bars on each side of said joints and curved to cover the latter, whereby the action of closing the mouth-piece draws the spring tight around the joints, as and for the purpose set forth.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our own we have hereto affixed our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

NATHAN IV. GIVEN. ROBERT A. DUNNING. Vitnesses:

WM. D. MUssENDEN, W. R. MUssENnEN. 

